New Age Industrial: A Decade of Solar Success

New Age Industrial is a major vertically integrated manufacturing facility in Norton, Kansas, specializing in aluminum extrusion and the production of heavy-duty aluminum storage and handling equipment. Their products are often custom designed and manufactured for customers across the United States.

As a major manufacturer, New Age was looking for ways to reduce operating costs, improve sustainability, and remain competitive in an increasingly environmentally conscious marketplace. They partnered with Cromwell Solar to develop an energy solution that would deliver a strong return on investment while significantly reducing their environmental footprint.

In 2015, Cromwell Solar designed and installed a 734 kW rooftop solar energy system at the facility. The project immediately began offsetting a substantial portion of the company's electricity consumption, helping stabilize energy costs and generate long-term savings.

The results were so compelling and their experience with Cromwell so good that nearly a decade later, New Age once again turned to Cromwell Solar to expand their renewable energy investment. In 2025, Cromwell designed and installed an additional 330 kW solar array, bringing the facility's total solar capacity to more than 1 MW.

One of the most unexpected benefits came from New Age's customers. During a facility visit, a representative from a major corporate client noticed the extensive rooftop solar installation and expressed enthusiasm about partnering with a supplier that was actively investing in renewable energy. The customer explained that having environmentally responsible suppliers helped support their own sustainability objectives and corporate reporting goals.

While customer attraction and retention were not part of the original financial analysis, the experience demonstrated an increasingly important reality: investments in renewable energy can provide benefits beyond utility savings. In addition to lowering operating costs, New Age's solar investment helped strengthen its position as a forward-thinking manufacturing partner in today's sustainability-driven marketplace.

More than ten years after the original installation, New Age continues to demonstrate how solar energy can deliver lasting financial, operational, and environmental value for industrial manufacturers.